Page 64 of Man Advantage

“You? Really?” It took all I had not to rake my eyes up and down his gorgeous body. Even in a hoodie and track pants, he was still lean andsmokinghot.

He laughed softly. “We burn like two thousand calories per game, and that doesn’t include practice and off-ice workouts. So it’s really, really easy to get into the habit of ‘eh, I can eat whatever the fuck I want because I’ll be burning it off later.’ I try to eat the way I’m supposed to, but not gonna lie: by the end of the season—especially the end of the playoffs—I’m definitely slacking.”

“With all the traveling you do? I’m not surprised.”

“Oh, it’s not just traveling.” He sipped his coffee again. “I just get lazy.” He flashed me a grin that had no business making my spine tingle. “With a personal trainer living with me, maybe I’ll stay on top of things.”

“As we both order pizza tonight.”

“Eh.” He shrugged.

I chuckled. We’d be fine. I really did encourage my clients to cultivate healthy relationships with food and exercise, and it didn’t do anyone any good to obsess over it. Treating food as a reward and exercise as a punishment was a recipe for disaster. But I was pretty sure we could find some balance between eating and working out during his off season.

I leaned against the island. “So, you said you’re doing film review today? What do you guys even do for that? Just watch your old games or something?”

“We do that, but mostly, we’re watching the team we’ll be playing next. Which, in this case, is Salt Lake City.” He grimaced. “They’ve got one of the best power plays in the League, and there’s already rumors that their goalie will get the netminder MVP award.”

“Whoa. So… tough team to play against.”

“Very.” Then he snickered. “One of my teammates—Hoes? He does voices while we’re watching them sometimes.”

“Yeah?”

Grinning, Trev nodded. “Drives our video coach nuts, but it’s kind of hard for him to tell Hoes to knock it off when even he’s laughing so hard he can’t speak.”

“So, even at this level, you’re all still just a bunch of kids who goof off in class.”

He quirked his lips, then shrugged. “Pretty much, yeah.”

“No wonder you love it so much.”

“Guilty.”

We both laughed. After a moment, though, he sobered, and he met my gaze. “By the way—thanks. For what you said…” He tilted his head to indicate the deck outside. “I’ve been having a really tough time. About everything with the kids. So… I needed to hear that.”

I smiled. “Any time. I think anyone would be a mess right now. Playing tug-of-war with your ex over your kids…” I wrinkled my nose. “That’s going to fuck with anyone’s head, you know?”

Letting his shoulders drop, he sighed. “Yeah. Because no matter what we do, they’re stuck in the middle. I’m just glad they don’t resent me as much as they probably should.”

“Trev.” I shook my head. “They don’t, and they shouldn’t. Yeah, they might have some complicated feelings about the divorce, especially as they get older, but I think they can see as well as anyone that you’re doing the best you can.”

“God, I hope so,” he whispered.

I couldn’t handle seeing him that upset, so I stepped closer and hugged him. As I pulled him in tight, I said, “Trust me. They love you. And no parent is perfect, you know?” I stroked his hair. “You’re doing fine.”

Trev sighed heavily and held me against him. “Thank you.”

“Don’t mention it.” After a long moment, I loosened my embrace, and we pulled apart.

And whatever I was going to say next—because I’d had something on the tip if my tongue—fell away when I met those familiar, stunning brown eyes.

Holy shit, you’re the most beautiful man I’ve ever seen.

When I recovered from my two-second mental record-scratch, I realized…

He’d locked eyes with me too. And he’d tensed as if he’d been startled. Or his own train of thought had derailed.

My heart was beating hard, and with my chest still touching his, I had to wonder if he could feel it. Or if his was doing the same.

---